dust and ashes
Something that promises pleasure or fulfillment but results in disappointment or disillusionment. The phrase is used in the Bible to describe the unpleasant taste of an appealing-looking fruit. She was a shopaholic until she realized that material possessions are nothing but dust and ashes.
dust and ashes
used to convey a feeling of great disappointment or disillusion about something. Often found in the fuller form turn to dust and ashes in your mouth , the phrase is used in the Bible as a metaphor for worthlessness, for example in Genesis 18:27 and the Book of Job 30:19. It derives from the legend of the Sodom apple, or Dead Sea fruit, whose attractive appearance tempted people, but which tasted only of dust and ashes when eaten.